MILAN — It’s Monday, Feb. 16 at the 2026 Winter Olympics and we’re underway at the Milano Cortina Games.

Medals will be presented in pairs figure skating, short track speed skating, men’s giant slalom, women’s monobob, men’s super team ski jumping and women’s big air freestyle skiing.

At the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the women’s ice hockey competition will determine which teams will play for gold. Team USA – which has outscored opponents 26-1 through five games – plays against Sweden in the first semifinal game at 10:40 a.m. ET.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

Americans win gold and bronze in monobob

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Armbruster Humphries are Olympic medalists once again.

The queens of bobsled finished first and third in the women’s monobob event Monday, Feb. 16 at the Cortina Sliding Center.

It was the first gold medal in Meyers Taylor’s legendary career, and her sixth overall, tying Bonnie Blair for most medals by an American woman in Winter Olympics history. She won her first Olympic medal back in 2010 in Vancover.

Armbruster Humphries has now collected five medals from five Olympics, including the gold medal in monobob for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. – Payton Titus

This double medal performance marks just the second time in these Olympics that the U.S. has put two people on the podium. The other event was on Valentine’s Day, February 14, when the United States saw Jaelin Kauf and Liz Lemley win silver and bronze in women’s dual moguls.

Eileen Gu earns silver medal in big air

All Eileen Gu does is medal.

Even if this one is not gold. Gu won her second silver medal of these Games in the women’s big air final Monday in a competition that was delayed 75 minutes due to heavy snow.

Canada’s Megan Oldham captured gold and added to her hardware showing here after she took bronze in the slopestyle contest last week. Flora Tabenelli of Italy contributed to an exciting Olympics for the host country by claiming bronze.

Gu landed her first jump but struggled on the second of three (the top two scores are combined). Her final jump moved her temporarily into second place.

Oldham’s first two jumps were good enough for gold and she still went for a massive jump on what was her victory lap. She didn’t land it but still celebrated as the big air Olympic champion. – Christopher Bumbaca

Switzerland withdraws from big air

Both of Switzerland’s skiers in the women’s big air final withdrew from injuries suffered via falls during warmups. Anouk Andraska injured her wrist, while Mathilde Gremaud – the gold-medalist in the slopestyle event last week – injured her hip, according to the Swiss Ski Association. Further medical examinations are underway, Swiss Ski said. Gremaud qualified third for finals after winning bronze in the event four years ago. Andraska was 12th (of 12).

That left 10 competitors in the final field. No Americans qualified for it. – Christopher Bumbaca

Weather delay for women’s freeski big air final

The women’s freeski big air final set to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET has been delayed due to weather conditions in Livigno, Italy at the moment. The event won’t start until 3 p.m. at the earliest, according to multiple reports.

The women’s freeski big air features American-born Eileen Gu, the defending Olympic gold medalist in this event who is representing China again at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Bobsled: US women in medal hunt entering final run

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The U.S. women are in good position to win multiple medals again in monobob.

Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Armbruster Humphries are both within a quarter second of Germany’s Laura Nolte heading into the final run of the women’s solo bobsled event. The Americans had identical times of 59.08 seconds in the third run, a track record.

Meyers Taylor is now 0.15 seconds behind Nolte with a combined time of 2:58.42. Armbruster Humphries is 0.24 seconds back with a combined time of 2:58.51. Kaysha Love remains in fifth place, 0.31 seconds out of third place with a time of 2:59.22.

Armbruster Humphries and Meyers Taylor went 1-2 in monobob in Beijing, when the event made its Olympic debut.

The fourth and final run is later Monday night. — Nancy Armour

Women’s hockey: Team USA advances to gold medal game

The Americans have advanced to the gold medal game in women’s ice hockey, closing out a commanding 5-0 win over Sweden in the semifinals on Monday. Team USA will play either Canada or Switzerland on Thursday for the Olympic gold medal.

It was the U.S. team’s fifth-consecutive shutout, which is an Olympic record. The Americans broke open the game late in the second period with three goals on three-consecutive shots. They’ve now out-scored their opponents, 31-1, during the Milan Cortina Games.

Team USA blows open women’s hockey semifinal vs. Sweden

The United States women’s ice hockey finally found itself locked in a tight game after the first period of its semifinal game against Sweden. But the Americans have eliminated any drama entering the final 20 minutes.

Team USA has blown open this game, taking a 5-0 lead into the third period after scoring three times in less than three minutes late in the second period. Abbey Murphy, Kendall Coyne and Hayley Scamurra netted goals in succession to secure the commanding lead and a likely spot in the Olympic gold medal game.

Taylor Heise started the Team USA scoring onslaught more than nine minutes into the second period when she scored on a 2-on-1 breakout and gave the Americans a 2-0 cushion.

Skier, skater show amazing agility crossing finish line backwards

In the Winter Olympics, athletes often must display the same skills while going forward and backward. In figure skating, ice hockey and snowboarding, for example.

But there have been times during the Milano Cortina Winter Games when athletes have gone out of control and turned completely around when they weren’t supposed to. And the moments have been magical.

 Japanese freestyle skier Ikuma Horishima actually went on to win a silver medal in dual moguls on Sunday.

Also, Italian speed skater Pietro Sighel crossed the finish line in backwards in Cortina, not once but twice.

Unexpected surprises like these definitely have us looking … forward to more as the Winter Games conclude.

Brennan: Olympic superstars face increasing mental health challenges

The comparisons were immediate, undeniable and haunting. When Ilia Malinin shockingly stumbled across the ice in his long program Friday night at the Winter Olympic Games, who didn’t think of Simone Biles battling the ‘twisties’ and withdrawing from the gymnastics team competition four and a half years earlier at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, especially with Biles herself in the arena watching?

Both were high-profile athletes carrying the burden of great expectations for themselves, their families, their teammates and their nation. Both then found themselves dealing with, and reeling from, the awfulness that exists on social media, even as they rely on it to tell their stories, please their sponsors and bring fans along for the ride.

With a single Instagram post Monday, Malinin has already ensured that a high-profile conversation about mental health will command center stage during the second week of these Games.

Eileen Gu calls Olympic practice schedule ‘unfair’

Normally, China’s Eileen Gu said, the International Ski Federation – the governing body that oversees Olympic free skiing and snowboarding – is an accommodating organization.

Except in this case.

As Gu looks to repeat as the Olympic gold medalist in the women’s big air event (the finals begin at 1:30 p.m. ET) and go 5-for-5 in medals at her second Olympics, she is a tad perturbed by the schedule that only she has to confront.

Making big air finals prevented Gu from practicing during the allotted three-hour training session allowed for free skiers in the halfpipe on the other side of Livigno Snow Park.

‘Which is really unfair, and difficult for me to deal with,’ Gu said after qualifying Saturday.

Gu − the only athlete in these Olympics to compete in halfpipe, slopestyle and big air − petitioned to train with snowboarders during their training last week, or to at least have an extra hour at another time. No dice, though. − Chris Bumbaca

How to watch US women’s hockey vs. Sweden in semifinals

The U.S. women’s national hockey team is one win away from the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Sweden stands in the way and is looking to player spoiler yet again.

If you’re unable to watch, USA TODAY Sports will follow all the action with a live blog.

If you do want to watch, here’s what you need to know:

• Date: Monday, Feb. 16
• Time: 10:40 a.m. ET
• Location: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
• TV channel: USA Network
• Streaming options: NBCOlympics.com | NBC Olympic App | Peacock

Swiss skier wins gold in men’s slalom

Loic Meillard of Switzerland won the gold medal in the men’s slalom while Fabio Ostrein of Austria took the silver and Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway won the bronze on Monday.

Meillard’s combined time from the two runs was 1:53.61, just .35 ahead of Ostrein’s combined time 1:53.96 at Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio.

The Alpine skiing event ended with as much disappointment as exhilaration.

Skiing last among the top 30 racers, Atle Lie McGrath of Norway was in position to win gold after posting the best time during the first run. But he straddled a gate on his second run, resulting in him being disqualified.

River Radamus, the only American in the 96-skier field, failed to complete his first run and so did not qualify for a second run. He was one of 51 skiers whose day ended after the first run with a DNF (Did Not Finish). The first run took place during a snowstorm but the conditions improved before the second run. — Josh Peter

Tkachuk brothers ‘a blast’ at Olympic hockey tournament

Described by their Olympics coach as beasts on the ice, USA hockey teammates vouch Brady and Matthew Tkachuk are an absolute hoot to be around.

‘They’re every bit as entertaining as you guys would think,’ Dylan Larkins said. ‘They’re unbelievable team guys. It’s a blast, and you got to see it at the Four Nations.’

The brothers drew headlines at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in 2025 for each picking a fight with a Canadian player, but they have, wisely, kept away from fisticuffs at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as fighting is illegal in international hockey.

They’ve limited their hands to handling hockey sticks, with Matthew racking up five assists through three games and Brady coming through with two goals an an assist. − Helene St. James

Top plastic surgeon fuels ‘Penisgate’ controversy

A plastic surgeon renowned for penis-enlarging procedures, including the injection of hyaluronic acid, says he provided the service last month to a ski jumper.

The assertion comes with the ski jumping competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics under an unusual spotlight.

Reports from a German media outlet prompted speculation that ski jumpers are getting genital-enlarging injections to increase the surface area of their suits, which would increase the distance of their jumps. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation called it ‘wild rumor.’

‘Regarding the news in question, I did in fact treat an athlete from that sport, whose name and nationality I will obviously not disclose, nor whether he is participating in these Olympics,’ Alessandro Littara told USA TODAY Sports in an email. ‘However, I can say that I treated him last month and used a generous dose of hyaluronic acid.’ − Josh Peter

USA men vying for podium in two-man bobsled

The U.S. men are within striking distance of the podium in two-man bobsled.

Frankie del Duca and Joshua Williamson are in fourth place after the first two runs, 1.34 seconds behind Germany’s Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer. But they’re only 0.10 seconds out of third going into the final two runs on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Germany has the top three sleds at the halfway point, with Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schuller second and Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller third. ― Nancy Armour

Netherlands continues short-track speed skating dominance 

The orange wave continues in short track speed skating.Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer won gold in the women’s 1000m, now the fourth short-track gold medal in a dominant showing for the Netherlands in Milano.It was a tight race along with Canada’s Courtney Sarault and Gilli Kim of Korea, but Velzeboer fended off a late surge to keep her first place spot. Sarault took silver and Kim won bronze.It’s the second gold medal for Velzeboer after she won the women’s 500m. The other gold medal wins for her country include Jens van ‘T Wout in the men’s 1000m and 1500m. It’s a perfect four-for-four start in individual short-track events. ― Jordan Mendoza

Skiers struggling in men’s slalom

Fewer than half of the 96 skiers in the men’s slalom completed their first run in tough conditions on Monday.

American River Radamus was one of 51 skiers whose day ended with a DNF: Did Not Finish. That disqualified him and the others for a second and final run.

But some skiers navigated the course at Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio through a snowstorm with more skill than others.

Atle Lie McGrath of Norway had the top run with a time of 56:14, and Loic Meillard of Switzerland is second and Fabio Gstreinf Austria is third headed into the second run. ― Josh Peter

Kristen Santos-Griswold doesn’t advance in 1000m

The U.S. won’t be in the semifinals of the women’s short-track speed skating 1000m after Kristen Santos-Griswold narrowly missed out on advancing.

In the third heat of the quarterfinals, Santos-Griswold held the lead for a few laps in the middle of the race and looked like she could finish first. But Netherlands’ Xandra Velzeboer overtook the lead on the sixth of eight laps, and on the next one, Gilli Kim moved in second. 

Only the top two would officially advance, and Santos-Griswold couldn’t keep the pace and finished third. She had a time of 1:29:102, just .34 seconds behind Kim. ― Jordan Mendoza

Ilia Malinin makes first public statement since devastating showing

Ilia Malinin made his first public statement since his devastating finish in the men’s singles figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The 21-year-old posted on Instagram on Monday, with a statement on mental health. The post was accompanied with a video of Malinin celebrating his victories and him sitting with his hands on his head.

‘On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside. Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise,’ he wrote. ‘Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.’ ― Jordan Mendoza

Where to watch Olympics today

Watch all 2026 Winter Olympics events on NBC and Peacock.

Watch the Winter Olympics on Peacock

Olympics schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, at 6:59 p.m.

• 3 a.m. – Nordic Combined: Large Hill Official Training 3, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
• 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – SWE vs. SUI, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CHN vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – DEN vs. GBR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 4 a.m. – Alpine Skiing: Men’s Giant Slalom Run 1 & 2 – medal event, Stelvio Ski Centre (Bormio, Valtellina)
• 4 a.m. – Bobsleigh: 2-Man Heat 1 & 2, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 4:30 a.m. – Snowboard: Women’s Slopestyle Qualification, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
• 5 a.m. – Short Track: Women’s 1000m, Men’s 1500m Heats, Semifinals, Finals (Medal Events), Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
• 8 a.m. – Snowboard: Men’s Slopestyle Qualification, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
• 8:05 p.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – GBR vs. NOR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 8:05 p.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – CZA vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 8:05 p.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – SWE vs. GER, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 8:05 p.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – ITA vs. CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Semifinals – USA vs. SWE, Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
• 12 p.m. – Ski Jumping: Men’s Super Team – 1st Round, 2nd Round, Final – medal event, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
• 1 p.m. – Bobsleigh: Women’s Monobob Heat 3 & 4 – medal event, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – USA vs. ITA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – KOR vs. CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – JPN vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 1:30 p.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Freeski Big Air Final – medal event, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
• 2 p.m. – Figure Skating: Pair Skating – Free Skating – medal event, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
• 2:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Semifinals – CAN vs. SUI, Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena

Meet Team USA 2026: Get to know the athletes behind the games

Olympics medal count

Following competition on Sunday, Feb. 15, Norway leads the medal standings with 26 total medals (12 gold, seven silver, seven bronze). Host nation Italy has 22 medals (including eight gold), followed by Japan and the United States with 17 apiece. France and Germany have won 15 medals apiece.

More 2026 Winter Olympics

On March 9, three weeks from today, NFL players on expiring contracts can begin negotiating with outside clubs – any are currently free to broach extensions with their current ones – and can officially start to join new organizations at 4 p.m. ET on March 11, the start of the 2026 league year.

However, a great deal is still likely to happen between now and then – and doubtless will.

Starting Feb. 17, the two-week window for clubs to apply a franchise or transition tag to one of their pending free agents, thus severely restricting that player’s ability to leave, opens. Countless others will have their contracts terminated before March 11 as overbudget teams come into compliance with the 2026 salary cap prior to the start of free agency.

Elsewhere, Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, for example, renegotiated his contract in January, lowering his 2026 base salary to $2.1 million but obtaining a clause that would guarantee his new $67.9 million income in 2027 on March 13 – meaning he’ll almost certainly be going free and gauging his value anew, though that wouldn’t necessarily preclude a return to Atlanta. And whither Tua Tagovailoa? And/or Kyler Murray? The quarterback market could be intriguing, if not yet fully informed and certainly unlikely to present a marquee veteran option.

As for unforeseen trades and releases? Recent history tells us those will occur, too, and further shake up the league’s landscape. The Miami Dolphins, for example, have already started making much-needed salary cap room amid their unsurprising decisions to release WR Tyreek Hill and OLB Bradley Chubb, who become immediately eligible to sign with new teams once their contracts are officially terminated.

But, for now, I’ve compiled a list of the top 26 NFL free agents – one that’s bound to change and will be adjusted accordingly as events warrant – heading into the 2026 offseason:

1. WR George Pickens

He’s coming off a career year (93 catches for 1,429 yards and 9 TDs, all personal bests) and turns 25 next month − all good reasons for the Dallas Cowboys to use the franchise tag on Pickens, whether they plan to keep him (he and CeeDee Lamb would form an awesome but expensive wideout duo) or trade him. A good fit in Dallas last season, Pickens isn’t for everyone − and might still have to prove he’s a clear-cut No. 1 wideout. But his 2025 effort strongly suggested his production and potential are quickly coming into alignment.

2. DE Trey Hendrickson

After registering 35 sacks between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, including a league-leading 17½ in the latter campaign, the 31-year-old was limited to seven games by injuries last year − that in the wake of a contentious offseason with the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s worth wondering now if Cincy simply lets Hendrickson walk or tries a tag-and-trade gambit, but a fresh start seems like the best outcome. Regardless, his services should be in high demand.

3. C Tyler Linderbaum

You’d think the Baltimore Ravens will find a way to retain a 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowler. They may have to address QB Lamar Jackson’s contract first − he currently carries a cap charge of $74.5 million in 2026 and ’27 − which means a franchise tag could be a strong possibility if the Ravens are to keep Linderbaum off the market before granting him an extension. But if he goes free, an immediate bidding war will doubtless commence.

4. OLB Jaelan Phillips

It’s hard to come by untethered edge defenders theoretically entering their prime. But Phillips, 26, could be one of the belles of the FA ball after being acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles at last year’s trade deadline. He finished the season with five sacks and 63 quarterback pressures, per Next Gen Stats. More important, he appeared in 17 regular-season games for the first time since 2022 after injuries ruined his following two seasons. Strong against the pass and run, the 6-5, 266-pounder should find a very robust market … presuming he gets there.

5. QB Daniel Jones

A torn Achilles last December cut short what had been his best season statistically (238.5 passing yards per game, 100.2 QB rating) to that point. The QB trend du jour that may be forming in the NFL could be finding a reclamation project who won’t necessarily eat up a massive chunk of the salary cap − and Jones, 28, can thank Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield for their ongoing heroics. Hard to believe the Indianapolis Colts will allow Jones to gauge his worth with the rest of the league, though … especially when his previous team, the Minnesota Vikings, could suddenly become very interested in swooping in if he’s not secured soon.

6. OLB Odafe Oweh

He has 17½ sacks and 98 pressures as a part-time starter over the past two seasons, which were split between the Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. Heady numbers for a 27-year-old who should be ready for a bigger role … and certainly a larger paycheck.

7. QB Malik Willis

He could be this year’s version of Justin Fields − a quarterback with intriguing skills but limited experience who can nevertheless capitalize financially given the high demand but low supply at his incomparably critical position. Willis, 26, has far fewer NFL reps than Fields but really impressed while filling in as a spot starter for the Green Bay Packers the past two seasons, completing nearly 80% of his passes while throwing six TDs and zero INTs. In addition to a 134.6 passer rating, Willis can also move like a tank. Keep an eye on the Dolphins, who just plucked their new GM (Jon-Eric Sullivan) and coach (Jeff Hafley) from the Pack, as an interested buyer.

8. WR/KR Rashid Shaheed

The big-play ability he flashed for years with the New Orleans Saints translated beautifully − and critically − when the Seattle Seahawks obtained him last November. Shaheed, 27, seemed like the final piece for to the ‘Hawks’ championship puzzle and delivered huge catches and returns in pivotal games down the stretch and in the postseason. However it should be captivating to see what Shaheed can fetch given he’s never been a No. 1 receiver nor has averaged 600 receiving yards during his four-year career. Still, his return ability − at a time when the kickoff is becoming an increasingly important component of the game − could really drive up his price tag.

9. TE Kyle Pitts

The No. 4 overall pick in 2021 − the highest-drafted tight end ever − Pitts, 25, never seemed to fully reach his potential with the Atlanta Falcons, which isn’t completely an indictment of him. But he was a second-team All-Pro in 2025 and did just put together his best season since he was a rookie, catching a career-high 88 passes and five TDs. Pitts could really take off in an offense that truly leverages his estimable abilities … and maybe even has the foresight to feature him in the red zone.

10. RB Breece Hall

Though the New York Jets seemingly purged much of their talent at last year’s trade deadline, they hung on to their 24-year-old back. And why not? Hall has averaged 1,260 yards from scrimmage and nearly seven TDs during his four seasons − and for the lowly NYJ. Explosive and an excellent receiver, Hall is the best runner on the market … if he actually reaches it.

11. WR Alec Pierce

Similar to Shaheed, he could be an elite No. 2 receiver in the right system. Unlike Shaheed, he doesn’t bring any special teams value. However Pierce, 25, has led the league in yards per reception each of the past two seasons (21.8 ypc over the duration) and is coming off a breakout year with 47 grabs for 1,003 yards. He should get paid nicely in what’s a fairly thin crop of free agents.

12. S Coby Bryant

After struggling as a corner earlier in his Seattle career, he’s flourished as a safety the past two seasons − and the 26-year-old should get a nice bump given the league’s other teams always look to raid the most recent Super Bowl champions.

13. CB Jaylen Watson

He’s big (6-2, 197), young (27), still experienced (29 starts) and playoff tested. Watson is coming off his best season but is probably a luxury for the capped-out Kansas City Chiefs.

14. LB Devin Lloyd

A first-rounder of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, he blossomed into a Pro Bowler last season as the team blossomed around him. If the Jags don’t pony up to keep their 27-year-old defensive quarterback, someone will.

15. S Bryan Cook

He’s emerged as a key component of Steve Spagnuolo’s K.C. D in recent years. A steady, reliable player, Cook, 26, should be a stabilizing presence if not one who’s going to make a ton of splash plays.

16. LT Rasheed Walker

He’s been a solid, if unspectacular, starter for the Packers since 2023. But serviceable, 26-year-old left tackles don’t grow on trees.

17. RB Kenneth Walker III

The 25-year-old Super Bowl MVP will get a hefty raise in Seattle or elsewhere. But Walker is not the second coming of Saquon Barkley, isn’t as good an every-down player as Hall and has spent most of his career in a platoon. The guess here is that Walker won’t come close to resetting the compensation scale at a position that generally doesn’t command top dollar.

18. WR Jauan Jennings

A 6-3, 212-pounder, the 28-year-old caught 132 balls (15 for TDs) over the past two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. Jennings’ roots as a quarterback also make him quite a threat on trick plays. He’s also the proverbial dog that some locker rooms covet … and others won’t.

19. WR Mike Evans

He’ll be 33 by Week 1 and is coming off the worst of his 12 NFL seasons. But 6-5 and 231 pounds don’t fade like speed does, and a healthy Evans should be a dangerous offensive weapon and top-tier leader again in 2026 − whether it’s for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or someone else.

20. OLB Khalil Mack

He’ll be 35 by next week and is coming off (perhaps) the worst of his 12 NFL seasons. But 6-3 and 269 pounds worth of power don’t fade like an agile pass rusher might, and a healthy Mack should be a dangerous defensive weapon and top-tier leader again in 2026 − whether it’s for the Chargers or someone else.

21. CB Nahshon Wright

Though he’s already 27, he’s hardly a finished product. He’s also a 6-4, 199-pound corner who led the NFL with eight takeaways (5 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries) after becoming a surprise starter (and surprise first-time Pro Bowler) for the Chicago Bears. The upside and production spike are going to make Wright rich.

22. WR Romeo Doubs

He’s 25 with good size (6-2, 204) and has averaged roughly 50 receptions and 600 yards during four years with the Pack, who have widely dispersed their target share in the post-Davante Adams era. Doubs could be far more impactful as a 1A or second option elsewhere.

23. QB Aaron Rodgers

Last season was his best since 2021, his most recent MVP effort. Hard to imagine the 42-year-old legend playing anywhere besides the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just hired Mike McCarthy, formerly Rodgers’ coach in Green Bay. But, again, monitor the Vikings as a possible dark horse.

24. S Kamren Curl

The kind of versatile DB any defense wants, able to play deep, in the box or in the slot. Only 26, Curl already has 86 starts split between Washington and the Los Angeles Rams.

25. DE Joey Bosa

He’ll be 31 this season and has a checkered injury history. But Bosa’s 2025 campaign with the Buffalo Bills was his best since 2021. He had five sacks and 43 pressures in 15 games and led the league with five forced fumbles. He’d be wise to find a home where his snaps can be maximized but limited.

26. WR Wan’dale Robinson

He may be 5-8 and 185 pounds, but the 25-year-old was targeted 140 times each of the past two years with the New York Giants − and posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. Robinson isn’t a No. 1 receiver, either − doesn’t mean he won’t heavily impact his next offense.

Few WNBA players compete with the same edge and fire that Marina Mabrey does.

The former national championship winner with Notre Dame likes to talk trash, always plays hard and has a tendency to mix it up with opponents. Every now and then, Mabrey says in a recent podcast interview with Sue Bird, her emotions get the best of her.

In a joint interview with Connecticut Sun teammate Aaliyah Edwards on Bird’s Eye View, Mabrey talked about her “crash outs” — a slang term for moments when people lose control of their emotions and act in a wildly impulsive way.

With Mabrey, the signature “crash out” moment happened last June in a game against the Indiana Fever. Moments after play was halted after Jacy Sheldon seemingly hit Caitlin Clark in the eye while defending her, Clark and Sheldon exchanged some light pushes. Mabrey then came up and blindsided Clark, shoving her to the floor.

Later in the game, Sheldon was wrapped up under the basket by Sophie Cunningham, leading to a scuffle where Sheldon, Cunningham and Lindsay Allen got ejected. Clark scored 20 points and dished out six assists, leading the Fever to secure a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup.

For the Sun, it was their ninth loss in their first 11 games. Mabrey says the losing, combined with Clark cooking their defense, made her boil over.

“I’m 100% aware, like I know when I went too far with things. It’s like shameful. It’s like, ‘Really, Marina? That was ridiculous.’ So like, for example, the Caitlin thing,” Mabrey said. “That was obvious that my emotions of us losing and losing and losing, and then she’s low-key punking our team on top of it — that was too far. That was too much.”

Mabrey said that while responding to a question from Bird about finding the balance between maintaining her competitive edge, but not taking things too far. Mabrey pointed to a moment in Unrivaled this season where she and Sug Sutton exchanged a few pushes and came face-to-face before being separated.

“The little scuffle between me and Sug, that was perfect, because it was just enough that it fueled me and the team,” Mabrey explained. “On the flip side, when we were in Indiana, everyone is booing us, it feels like [expletive], we end up losing by 25, and it’s like, ‘Marina, that’s your fault, buddy. You can’t do that.’ So, just finding the balance where it teeters toward the positive end for me and my team and keeping that there, and knowing when it’s going past that and stopping that before it goes past that.”

Mabrey, playing for the Lunar Owls, leads Unrivaled in scoring this season with 26.8 points per game.

How much would you pay for an ultra-rare Pokémon card?

On Monday, Feb. 16, YouTube creator turned WWE personality Logan Paul sold a 1998 Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card, encased in a custom diamond necklace, for $16,492,000 in a Goldin online auction. Bidding for the one-of-a-kind card and accessory began on Feb. 15 at $13.3 million.

Solari Capital Founder AJ Scaramucci was the lucky purchaser, according to a Goldin news release. Paul had promised to hand deliver the card to the winning bidder, but Scaramucci surprised the auction house as he was already at the headquarters in person. The sale and hand-off were able to close all within the same day.

The sale broke the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold at auction, the second time Paul and this specific card have broken a world record. Paul initially purchased the card in Dubai for $5,275,000 in 2021, setting the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold at a private sale, according to a Guinness news release.

Paul then wore the card, inside a custom diamond necklace, to his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. The card made another ringside appearance in 2025, when Goldin CEO Ken Goldin wore the accessory to the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua match, popularly deemed Judgement Day, the Pokémon card’s listing on the Goldin website reads. The card also made an appearance in Season 3 of the Netflix series ‘King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch.’

Pikachu Illustrator card in ‘virtually perfect’ condition

The Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card has been graded by the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) as a Gem Mint 10, which is granted to ‘virtually perfect’ cards. Out of 53 examples of a Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card documented by the PSA, Paul’s is the sole one to receive a Gem Mint 10 grade, according to the Goldin website.

Jewelry alone worth $75,000

Aside from the Pokémon card’s rarity, the accessory the card is held within is worth big bucks, too. Created by Suny the Jeweler, the necklace is made of pure Italian solid gold and set with about 35 carats of natural diamonds, according to the Goldin website. A Pokéball pendant on the necklace, that rests above the card, is made with about 6.5 carats of natural diamonds and the holder itself is a 10-karat pure Italian yellow gold chain, set with about 27.5 carats of baguette diamonds. Oxford Diamonds appraised the necklace at $75,000, the Goldin website states.

Several other records broken at Pokémon auction

Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator wasn’t the only collectible Pokémon card for sale. The specialized card was part of a wider Pokémon and TCG Auction held by Goldin, in partnership with Paul. According to a Goldin news release, the auction featured 300 items and several other records were broken, including:

• Highest-Selling Charizard of All Time: 1999 Pokémon Base Set 1st Edition Holo #4 Charizard for $954,808
• Highest-Selling Uncut Sheet of All Time: 1996 Pokemon Japanese Base Set Holo Uncut Sheet (64 cards) for $613,801
• Highest-Selling Pokémon Box of All Time: 1999 Pokémon Base Set 1st Edition Factory-Sealed Booster Box (36 sets of cards) for $496,000

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

MILAN — The comparisons were immediate, undeniable and haunting. When Ilia Malinin shockingly stumbled across the ice in his long program Friday night at the Winter Olympic Games, who didn’t think of Simone Biles battling the ‘twisties’ and withdrawing from the gymnastics team competition four and a half years earlier at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, especially with Biles herself in the arena watching?

Both were high-profile athletes carrying the burden of great expectations for themselves, their families, their teammates and their nation. Both then found themselves dealing with, and reeling from, the awfulness that exists on social media, even as they rely on it to tell their stories, please their sponsors and bring fans along for the ride.

For those who say athletes like Malinin, Biles, skier Lindsey Vonn and others are too focused on promoting themselves, consider the relatively small window available for Olympians to make money.

The commercial deals they get almost always come before the Olympics. When the Games end, some receive more endorsements and speaking opportunities, but mostly, the sports world moves on without them, turning in this case to the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments and the upcoming baseball season. There is incredible pressure on an Olympian to make money before and during the Games, because nothing is certain afterward.

And for those older Olympians from another era who privately think athletes today should just deal with the pressure as they themselves once did, social media has changed everything. Anyone can attach themselves to Malinin or Biles or Vonn in a post. It’s there for all to see, including the athlete, the moment they look at their phone.

Thinking back to Tokyo, Biles said on a 2024 episode of the ‘Call Her Daddy” podcast that she thought, ‘The world is going to hate me, and I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now. … I thought I was going to be banned from America because that’s what they tell you: Don’t come back. If it’s not gold, gold or bust, don’t come back.’

Several decades ago, a negative newspaper critique of an Olympian, even from a big paper at the height of the Games, could go unread and ignored by the athlete until after he or she competed — and maybe never even read at all.

On Monday, the Olympic Games woke up to this Instagram post from the 21-year-old Malinin:

‘On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside. Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”

He finished this way: ‘Coming February 21, 2026,” a reference believed to be about his performance in the Olympic figure skating gala Saturday. It will be his first time in front of an audience since his poor performance on the final night of men’s skating, dropping him out of the medals to eighth place.

The exhibition skate will perhaps be the most watched in Olympic figure skating history. But with his Instagram post Monday, he has already ensured that a high-profile conversation about mental health will command center stage during the second week of these Games.